On Board Scarlet Lady right now - not impressed so far... Questions welcome.

[tinkr2]

22 minutes ago, fredmdcruisers said:

Can we get money back when they are understaffed?

Having to wait for a table doesn't entitle you to money . Restaurants scatter reservations so as not to overwhelm staff and kitchens . Waiting 15 minutes on a cruise vacation ? What a trauma ?😝

[fndecker]

Experiences are individual and subjective. For example, I was so hyped up for Duel Reality but then wanted to walk out and get something to eat. Decent enough show for a 3 ring circus, but the stage looked "dirty", and the show seemed like a high school version of a Cirque show. Could it just have been my mood that night? Was is that I've seen several Cirque brand shows in stadiums and in Vegas so it is unfair to compare? Who knows. But what I do know, is that many of the complaints are exactly the thing I love about Virgin! So to each their own. I appreciate the Vegas style shows of other lines, but not interested in them on a cruise. It is refreshing to get in and out in an hour and do other things. I like to relax, walk the ship, eat, dance with my wife, talk to the Happenings Cast, find popup performances, sit in the hot tub, talk to people at the pool and buy each other drinks, and everything about Scarlet Night. It's like arguing over which is better, steak or chicken? People like what they like.

[tbmrt]

On 3/31/2023 at 1:42 PM, TripsYouMustDo said:

We ended up seeing Duel Reality twice (from two different viewpoints) and enjoyed it equally both times. work in guest services... 

Where would you suggest we sit for best view?

[cantgetin]

I saw Dual Reality with a friend who is a trained actor and holds several certifications in stage combat.  While I thought it was a good show with a few glitches, I kept hearing that the "actors" are well trained gymnasts, but could have benefited from training in stage combat and an acting coach.  Yeah, after it  was mentioned, I could see that was where the issues were.  IMHO, that was one difference between Dual Reality and Cirque de Soleil.

[Travel-and-See]

3 hours ago, cantgetin said:

I saw Dual Reality with a friend who is a trained actor and holds several certifications in stage combat.  While I thought it was a good show with a few glitches, I kept hearing that the "actors" are well trained gymnasts, but could have benefited from training in stage combat and an acting coach.  Yeah, after it  was mentioned, I could see that was where the issues were.  IMHO, that was one difference between Dual Reality and Cirque de Soleil.

They aren't "actors" they are extremely high-level circus artists.  The choreographer and directors for the show have worked with and for Cirque du Soleil on many projects.  It's a different style of show than Cirque, but the quality is absolutely the same.  (One of the casts that I've seen included one of the best teeterboard artists in the world who currently holds a World Record... these are literally the best of the best). 

 

That being said, a good friend of mine who loves the show said "it's a pretty artsy show for a cruise ship" - while that's the point that Virgin was going for I do get it.  It's not as commercial as a Cirque show. 

[_tacocat_]

7 hours ago, tbmrt said:

Where would you suggest we sit for best view?

middle of the seats are good- both with respect to height of the row and position within the row.  i've also seen it from up on 7 - great view from behind the seats, but the worst time if you're on the sides of the balcony because the lights blind you the whole time.

 

if you think you'll want to leave early or have issues that require you to get up and frequently go to the bathroom, just go to the 7th deck entrance.  if you're on 6, you're not supposed to get up in the middle of the show for your/the performers' safety (yet, every time i've been to this show, a group of people thinks this rule does not apply to them, and how dare they be told to sit down after being given advance warning that this was a no-early-exit show.  this is somehow always also the same group that ignores the no flash photography rule and has their stupid iphone flash blinding the cast....)

[Travel-and-See]

7 hours ago, tbmrt said:

Where would you suggest we sit for best view?

Try to sit in the front row of the raised seats (so the first row AFTER the 1sst row that is literally on the stage).  If you can sit towards the center, even better.   Red / Blue side doesn't matter.  After seeing the show once I reccomend going back and sitting in the very front row - you are literally on the stage and the performers will shout at you and include you. It's so much fun. 

[fndecker]

All of the interaction is nice, and I do appreciate their athletic ability, but I've see it all before. Also, they are acrobats, not actors. When they open the show with the surprise, I could not understand a word the two actors said since they had very heavy accents and have to yell to project. I didn't really follow a plot although it is supposed to be romeo and juliet / West Side Story (red and blue "teams"). I wonder if they wash the bands they have you put on your wrist that you have to return? Anyway, it was nice to see jugglers and teeter board and silk aerialists, and the hula hoop artist, etc. and I might see it again, but I actually enjoyed the multi-media show "ships in the night" more (though my wife did not and liked DR). Around the world in 80 minutes with the Diva was also pretty great.

[jon81uk]

25 minutes ago, fndecker said:

wonder if they wash the bands they have you put on your wrist that you have to return?

When they collected the bands as we exited I noticed they were putting them directly into net bags like you would use for washing small items. 

[TripsYouMustDo]

On 4/18/2023 at 2:12 AM, tbmrt said:

Where would you suggest we sit for best view?

I personally always like to sit in the front row in any show. Even when there is occasionally stuff that happens behind you. Many people prefer *not* to be in the front row so they get better overall view of the show. I like seeing expressions on performer's faces and be literally able to touch the performers if I wanted to. That makes a big difference for me when seeing a live show.

 

So we sat in the very front row, on the floor, both times. On difference side each time, but both times in the front. I thought those seats were incredible. Performers literally were almost falling over us, and one actually leans aganst my wife's legs. Being literally in the midst of the performers was awesome to us. Those seats would've cost a few hundred dollars each if purchased from Cirque du Soleil for one of their shows. 

 

Again, many people would prefer middle of the theater or even back rows. I think the theater was small enough and tiered enough to where you would have a good view from anywhere.

[TripsYouMustDo]

On 4/18/2023 at 9:17 AM, Travel-and-See said:

They aren't "actors" they are extremely high-level circus artists.  The choreographer and directors for the show have worked with and for Cirque du Soleil on many projects.  It's a different style of show than Cirque, but the quality is absolutely the same.  (One of the casts that I've seen included one of the best teeterboard artists in the world who currently holds a World Record... these are literally the best of the best). 

 

That being said, a good friend of mine who loves the show said "it's a pretty artsy show for a cruise ship" - while that's the point that Virgin was going for I do get it.  It's not as commercial as a Cirque show. 

 

+1 to that.

 

Yes, they definitely weren't trained actors or marshal combat specialists. They were insanely talented acrobats. The fight sequences weren't supposed to be an action movie. I didn't think their acting or marshal art abilities took anything away from they show. Opinions will obviously vary.

 

I've seen "O" in Vegas multiple times, as well as Le Reve (before it closed), Absinthe, Atomic Saloon Show, Mystere, etc. , and will still repeat that Duel Reality IMHO was as good as any of them in their own way. Of course they didn't have the costumes or props or live singer(s) like Cirque, but the tricks they are able to do on a cruise ship absolutely astonished me. As someone who's taken circus classes myself, and being very impartial to circus, I may be biased to the show, but it still blows away anything I've seen on any other cruise lines and as good as anything I've seen on land.

[benjaminnicholas]

Re: Dual Reality.

 

I think I can speak on this, as I work for CDS and have for the last 15 years.

 

Yes, they've used some of our former people to choreograph, but no, they're not delivering the same standards, rigging, production value or budget as any of our shows...  Including those in touring tents.

 

However, as compared to other cruise lines, it's definitely a cut above.  VV did good.  I was fully entertained by what they did, the flow, the choreo and the level of talent.